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Famous Climate Change Protests
Protest climate change now. It is almost a civic duty for anyone who cares about people and the planet. Join the millions of people around the world who are calling for stronger action of climate.
Across the world, climate protest has been led by young people. Most notably Greta Thunberg, who decided to strike from school every Friday and protest outside the Swedish Parliament, calling for action on climate change. Indeed the world has now reached the stage where many of us believe protest must include civil disobedience.
A stronger response is in proportion to the increased threat now posed by global warming. When the stakes are as high as the survival of human civilisation, people need to respond with a greater sense of urgency and determination
Climate change protests 2024
In 2024, there have been several significant climate change protests globally. For instance, the Fridays for Future movement organized large-scale protests in Germany, drawing around 75,000 people across various cities like Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt. The protests called for more decisive action against climate change as Europe faces extreme weather events like floods and fires.
Similarly, in Montreal, climate strikes took place across nearly two dozen Quebec cities. The protestors highlighted a summer of unprecedented weather conditions and called for urgent action on climate policies. The demonstration marked five years since Greta Thunberg’s climate march in the city, reflecting a continued push for governmental and societal changes to address the climate crisis.
These events indicate a sustained global movement, driven by a broad spectrum of participants, from youth activists to elderly protestors, all advocating for stronger climate action and policy changes.
Protest and activism have the potential to cause “rapid, disruptive and transformative changes”. Social and environmental movements play an important role in the campaign to achieve a sustainable future for the people of planet earth.
Protest Climate Change Examples
Climate change protests in Australia have been significant in recent years, with individuals and organisations taking to the streets to demand urgent action on climate change. Here are some notable climate change protests and movements in Australia:
- School Strike 4 Climate: The School Strike 4 Climate movement, inspired by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, gained momentum in Australia in 2018. Thousands of students across the country participated in strikes and rallies to demand stronger action from the government to address climate change. These strikes have become regular events, with students walking out of schools to protest inaction on climate change.
- Extinction Rebellion: Extinction Rebellion (XR) is an international environmental movement that uses non-violent civil disobedience to draw attention to the climate crisis. XR chapters have organized protests, blockades, and disruptive actions in cities across Australia, calling for immediate action to reduce carbon emissions and protect biodiversity.
- Climate Change Marches: Various climate change marches and rallies have been organized by environmental organizations, community groups, and activists in cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. These marches bring together people of all ages and backgrounds to demand ambitious climate policies and a transition away from fossil fuels.
- Stop Adani Movement: The Stop Adani movement is a campaign to oppose the construction of the Adani Carmichael coal mine in Queensland, one of the largest coal mines in the world. The movement has organized protests, blockades, and acts of civil disobedience to highlight the environmental and social impacts of the project and call for investment in renewable energy instead.
- Fossil Free Campaigns: Fossil Free campaigns have been launched on university campuses and in local communities to pressure institutions to divest from fossil fuel companies. Students, faculty, and community members have organized protests, petitions, and campaigns to urge universities, councils, and other organizations to divest their funds from fossil fuels and reinvest in renewable energy and sustainable projects.
- Indigenous-led Protests: Indigenous communities and organizations have been at the forefront of climate activism in Australia, highlighting the disproportionate impacts of climate change on Indigenous peoples and lands. Indigenous-led protests, marches, and actions have called for recognition of Indigenous rights, protection of sacred sites, and sustainable land management practices.
Climate change protests Australia
These are just a few examples of the diverse climate change protests and movements that have emerged in Australia in response to the urgent need for climate action.
These protests have helped raise awareness, mobilise public support, and put pressure on policymakers and corporations to prioritise climate change mitigation and adaptation measures.
The following organisations provide leadership in the climate protest movement.
350.org
One of the first international climate groups to protest climate change was 350.org The goal of 350.org was to keep carbon dioxide (CO2) to 350 parts per million — the safe concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. However, thanks to continued emissions the level of CO2 in the atmosphere is now over 400 parts per million.
Extinction Rebellion
The largest global group to arise in more recent times has been Extinction Rebellion (XR) which was founded in 2018. Extinction Rebellion has by necessity adopted a more urgent approach to protest based on principles of civil disobedience.
Asked the question ‘why rebel’ the XR website gives the following answer “We are in the midst of a climate and ecological breakdown. We are facing an uncertain future – our world is in crisis and life itself is under threat. Now is not the time to ignore the issues; now is the time to act as if the truth is real. The science is clear. Therefore we are in the midst of a mass extinction of our own making and our governments are not doing enough to protect their citizens, our resources, our biodiversity, our planet, and our future.”
XR is encouraging people to sign up to their newsletter and to also assist by joining XR in the nation in which they live.
Direct Action
XR are not the only environmental group that engage in direct action. Others include Frontline Action on Coal, Knitting Nannas and the Climate Action Network.
C40 Cities Network
C40 brings together a network of megacities from around the world, allowing them to drive climate action through collaboration and knowledge sharing. New York City, Johannesburg, Hong Kong, Sydney, Tokyo, London, and Mexico City are just some of the cities on the list that have committed to the climate targets established in the Paris Agreement.
Climate change protest today
Climate change has become a major protest motivator, because demonstrators view the stakes of climate policy as existential. Indeed some people see a direct link between inaction on climate change and their lives and livelihoods.
The clock is ticking and time is running out. Therefore please protest climate change where you live and take political action to help humanity avoid the pending climate catastrophe.
Electoral Politics
Elections are a crucial part of avoiding the most dire aspects of the climate catastrophe. This often means voting for green parties around the world. We need government that will fight fossil fuel consumption.
The cause of the ‘anthropogenic climate change’ that is heating the planet and driving sea-level rise is by definition human behaviour. It is the burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Hence we ‘must’ support political parties that are committed to transitioning to renewable energy. Voting for change means supporting the candidate with the best climate policy … every time!
Thank you and take any opportunity you can to protest climate change.